JONESBORO, Ark. (2/18/13) – Senior forward Brandon Peterson of Arkansas State University has been named the Sun Belt Conference's (SBC) Men's Basketball Player of the Week as announced by the conference office this Monday (Feb. 18). 

Peterson turned in a strong week of play for the current SBC West Division-leading Red Wolves as the frontcourt standout averaged 15.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocked shots, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.  He shot 88.9 percent from the field (8-for-9) and made 93.8 percent (15-for-16) at the free throw stripe while averaging 30 minutes per contest as A-State won both of their two outings this past week.

Peterson registered a double-double in each of the Red Wolves' two conference victories, an 86-62 home win versus instate rival UALR last Thursday (2/14) and an 87-54 triumph at ULM on Saturday (2/16).  He paced ASU in the win over UALR with game highs in points (20) and rebounds (13).  Peterson went 5-for-6 from the floor and had a season-best 10-of-11 free throw shooting performance to go with three steals and two assists.  The 6-8, 217-pound frontcourt closed out the week by netting 11 points and hauling in 10 rebounds at ULM.  He displayed perfection by going 3-3 from the field and made all five of his free throws to go with two shot rejections. 

A 2012-13 Second-Team All-SBC Preseason pick, Peterson presently leads Arkansas State in both rebounding with a 9.7 average (253 rebs.) and blocked shots with an 1.2 average (31 blocks) per game.  A starter in all 26 ASU games this campaign, Peterson's 10.7 scoring average (278 pts.) is tops on the team as is his 52.4 field-goal percentage (100-191).  He has accumulated 10 double-doubles this season while tallying double-digit points in a game on 17 occasions and in rebounding 13 times.

Among the current SBC statistical leaders, Peterson is currently third in rebounding (9.4 rpg.), fifth in field goal percentage (52.6%), 11th in blocked shots (0.9 bpg.), and is tied for 28th in scoring (10.0 ppg.) for conference contests only.  He also ranks second in offensive rebounds (3.3 avg.) and is third in defensive rebounds (6.1 avg.) in league encounters through Feb. 17 this season.  

Peterson, who has helped A-State to a current 17-9 record overall and a first-place 11-6 mark in the SBC's West Division, is the second ASU player to achieve conference weekly honors this season.  Senior guard Trey Finn was the first Red Wolves' player to attain the weekly league honor (2/4) for this 2012-13 season.

Arkansas State's lone action of this week will take place this Saturday (Feb. 23) evening versus the Troy Trojans in a Sun Belt Conference contest at the ASU Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark.  Tipoff for A-State's regular-season home finale is at 7:05 p.m. (CT).